


an acquired taste (sweet like candy)

by oh_no_oh_dear



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Engagement, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Meet the Family, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22141126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oh_no_oh_dear/pseuds/oh_no_oh_dear
Summary: Steve Rogers is meeting Sam's siblings and father for the first time, and gets a glimpse of why his beloved fiance-to-be is Like That (in a good way, promise!)
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson
Comments: 10
Kudos: 93
Collections: SamSteve Small Gifts





	an acquired taste (sweet like candy)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Onthecyberseas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onthecyberseas/gifts).



> For my giftee, onthecyberseas!! (Sorry I'm a butt and was a day late). I'm hoping you're not a black licorice fan, cos I do trash talk it a liiiittle bit. Happy new year! Thanks for giving me the chance to write something fun and fluffy :D

“Pops, this is–”   
  
Paul Wilson frowned and held up a finger in a gesture that was far too reminiscent of Sam’s mother. Being married for four decades did that to people, Sam supposed. His mother was spending the holidays with her younger sister and her family in Louisiana, but Paul opted to stay and have a family dinner with his kids. It wasn’t every day that all of them were in town at the same time, after all.    
  
Sam spied the phone wedged between his father’s ear and shoulder and knew he might as well go greet his siblings and their ancient family bird, Roco-coco (named by Sarah when she was about 6 years old and obsessed with the word  _ rococo _ ). Paul Wilson adored his kids, but he was on the phone with his wife and clearly deep in conversation about some family drama that Sam would wheedle him about later.    
  
Sam could feel Steve shifting awkwardly behind him, clearly caught between stepping properly through the front doorway or hovering outside like he was a vampire needing an invite in.    
  
“Pops, this is Steve–” Sam tried again. He stepped further into the house, trusting that Steve would follow his lead despite his nerves (he did.)    
  
This time, Paul looked up and gave a quick nod and a wink before pointing to the phone:  _ Hello, hi, be with you soon, get outta here so grown folks can gossip _ . Sam was all too familiar with his parents’ non-verbal cues, so he settled for patting his father on the shoulder and pulling at Steve’s arm to guide him to the living room. Steve managed a quick wave to Paul before the din of the Wilson living room overtook him. Sarah, Sam’s older sister, was doubled over laughing at something (it later turned out to be her brother Gideon’s attempt at a popular dance move), electronic-heavy jazzy dance music was pumping from the speakers, and everyone was talking at full volume. Sam turned to give Steve an apologetic grimace, but Steve was looking around with an expression that could only be called beaming.    
  
“I’ll introduce you to everyone, okay?” Sam whisper-shouted to Steve. “I told ‘em to be nice to you.”   
  
“If they’re related to you, I’m sure they’re wonderful,” Steve said sincerely. Sam snorted.   
  
“You wouldn’t say that if my aunt-in-law was still invited to family functions.”   
  
“Y’all talking bout Aunt Trudi?” Sarah said, suddenly right beside them. Without waiting for an answer, she continued, “Because fuck that dry old bitch. Hey, you Steve? You taller’n I thought. You look scared. You good? What’d Sam say about us? Because he overdramatizes everything, so lemme tell you–”   
  
“Sarah, stop teasing him,” Gideon intoned from across the room. He was tall where Sarah was tiny, slender where she was round, but they both shared the same impish smile and wideset almond eyes that Sam had. Sarah suddenly grinned and nudged Sam hard with her elbow like they were sharing a secret joke.    
  
“Steve, I’m Sarah. Nice to meet you, for real,” she said as she extended her hand for Steve to shake. Steve’s confusion must have showed on his face, because she laughed before leaning in.    
“Sam used to grill every single girl I’d bring home when I was just starting to date, so I’m returning the favour… forever.”   
  
“I shoulda warned you that Sarah is  _ childish _ ,” Sam sighed. Steve pretended to look thoughtful for a moment.    
  
“I mean, if you really interrogated every date your sister brought home, I might be more on her side in this one.”    
  
Sarah looped her arm through Steve’s and stuck her tongue out at Sam. “I like him already.” She was almost finished her first wildly successful year at a human rights attorney’s office, Gideon had a small but passionate congregation and was part of the reason that their city boasted one of the biggest transition houses for LGBT youth, and Sam was a goddamn Avenger. When the three Wilson siblings got together, though, they might as well still be kids play-fighting on the couch on Saturday mornings.    
  
Sam huffed. “You like him ‘cause he’s acting like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. If you knew how much bullshit he pulled–”   
  
“We’ve all seen the news reports, Sammy,” Gideon called. Finally, someone was on his side!   
“...and we’ve seen you acting a big brave fool right alongside him,” he continued.    
  
“I don’t like how y’all are teaming up against me,” Sam muttered, only half-serious. Steve was looking pleased as punch; after dating Sam for this long, he was familiar with the teasing way he showed affection. It only tracked that his family was similar, which meant that they were already comfortable around him.    
  
“Steve, join me in the kitchen a minute?” Paul called from the doorway. Having finished his phone conversation with Darlene, he was now half-listening to their conversation while keeping an eye on the Cornish hen in the oven. He’d be damned if the bird would overcook on his watch, not least because he’d never hear the end of it from Trudi.   
  
Steve looked askance at Sam, who looked just as nonplussed as he was.    
  
“Uh… yes, of course. Sure.” Without realizing it, Steve reached for Sam’s hand and loosely held on to his fingers, like he always did when he sought comfort. Sarah glanced down at their clasped hands and smiled gently. Sam wasn’t self-conscious about displays of affection in general, but the natural way he’d turned his hand palm-up in anticipation of Steve’s touch was… well, it was sweet. Even she could admit that.    
  
“If he asks about anything awkward, you have permission to headbutt your way through the wall and run,” Sam whispered.    
  
Steve gave him a sour look and muttered “That was  _ once _ and you won’t let me live it down.”   
  
“Me an’ Barnes got a pact,” Sam said cheerfully, “that every time you do somethin’  _ stupid _ we get to add it to the list–”    
  
“Your dad’s waiting,” Steve cut him off as he stood. He loved how much his two best guys got along nowadays, but it also meant they could compare notes on what boneheaded move he’d pulled lately. Sam gave him an indulgent smile as he headed to the kitchen, and he couldn’t help but return it. He really was in love with that man.    
  
“Steve, hey. You want a beer?”   
  
“Thanks, but I’m not much of a drinker,” Steve nodded politely. Paul nodded back and gesture to a pitcher of something clear and bubbly with mint leaves floating among the ice cubes.    
  
“Me neither. This here’s tonic water, some brown sugar, some mint… try it, tell me what you think.”   
  
Steve thought it was delicious, and told Paul so in no uncertain terms. “There’s a flavour I can’t really place…”   
  
“Don’t tell the others,” Paul said conspiratorially, “but it’s black licorice.”   
  
“You like black licorice?” Steve asked, surprised. “Sam won’t let me kiss him if I’ve had a single bite, much less let me– uh. Uhm…”   
  
“Cap, Samuel is pushin’ 40. He also grew up in this house, and if he thinks me and his mama didn’t know that his friends ‘n’ him weren’t  _ always _ playing Mario in his room…”   
  
Against his dearest wishes, Steve knew he’d gone pink. Paul grinned at him and nodded to the pitcher again before pouring himself a full glass.    
  
“Now, I’m glad you and Sam have a fulfilling sex life, but that’s not why I called you in here.”   
  
“That’s a relief,” Steve said honestly. “Not that– of course, if you have questions–”   
  
“I got a pretty good idea of how that sorta thing works, but thanks,” Paul chuckled. Steve could see where Gideon’s dry but not unkind humour came from.    
“I found this by the door,” he continued. His face was a little more serious now, but not unhappy. Steve barely noticed, because he was staring at the [ring](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0632/5701/products/190383-CWG_c227ac49-7e10-4663-88b4-5b08eb157981_1800x1800.jpg?v=1578073408) Paul was holding out to him. It was simple enough, a silver band with a hexagon-shaped diamond with swirls and speckles of black in the centre. He’d spent months looking for the perfect ring: ethically sourced, unique, but not over the top. Sam knew he’d be proposing soon, of course – but he was leaving the exact time up to Steve.  _ Surprise me, _ he’d whispered between fevered kisses when they’d agreed to getting engaged in the first place.    
  
He hoped Paul wasn’t about to tell him not to ask Sam to marry him. He wasn’t sure any force on earth could stop him if Sam would have him.    
  
“I’m not surprised you chose the new year to propose,” Paul was saying now. He raised the ring to his face for closer inspection, tilting it this way and that to admire it. Seemingly satisfied, he set it delicately on the table near to Steve.    
  
Steve was old-fashioned in a lot of ways (there’s nothing wrong with ironing pleats in your khakis sometimes,  _ Sam _ ), but he didn’t feel right asking Paul’s permission to marry his son. Sam had given the go-ahead and that was all he needed. It would be nice to have the Wilsons’ support, and he didn’t think it’d be a problem… but it felt awkward to try to ask.    
  
“Well, I really only got one question. Might seem silly, but… he’s my youngest, y’know?”   
  
“Anything I can do to make you at ease, sir,” Steve said quietly. Paul’s smile was small but sincere.    
  
“Guess you can start calling me Pops,” he nodded. “Or start with ‘Paul,’ if that’s too much at first. You know, Gideon’s wife – Momo, you met her? No? She’ll be around next coupla days with the grandkids, so make sure you stick around. They’re too much, and I mean that in a good way. Where was I?”   
  
“We were negotiating what I’d call you,” Steve reminded him. He felt relieved that the whole thing hadn’t turned into a shovel talk, and more than that… he felt like he was  _ home. _ The way that Paul talked like he was already one of the family reminded him very much of Sam and the way he’d fit right in with the Avengers.    
  
“Oh, yeah. So, Momo calls me Pops, and Sarah’s partner Irina calls me Pops, so it’s practically tradition.”   
  
“Far be it from me to break with tradition, Pops,” Steve said with a cheeky smirk. Paul snorted and rapped his knuckles on the table in mirth.    
  
“I clean forgot to ask you what all I called you in here for,” Paul said suddenly.    
“I’m just gonna be plain here, Steve. You’re gonna be the first white fella marrying into the immediate family.”   
  
Steve blinked a few times, but he slowly nodded for Paul to continue. Where was this going?   
  
“Sam’s a grown man. You’re a grown man. I can’t tell y’all what to do. But it’d put me at ease to know you’re gonna protect him with more than that shield. You get me?”   
  
Steve knew all too well, four years and change into dating Sam. They’d gotten the looks, they’d heard the muttered and shouted comments.    
  
“I get you. And I will. We’ve got each others’ backs.”  _ Always _ , he didn’t add. There was only so much corniness even he could say aloud.    
  
“Well! Then. Good. Hey… were you gonna propose tonight?”   
  
“After the fireworks.”   
  
“I got an idea to make it really special, if you'll indulge me.”   
  


* * *

  
The mixture of shining joy, surprise, and poorly hidden revulsion on Sam’s face when Steve knelt and presented him with an engagement ring placed elegantly on a thick piece of black licorice became Paul Wilson’s phone wallpaper for years to come. 


End file.
